WELCOME

~ The pieces are all sewn together, stitched with love.........and a quilt tells a story and the story is our past ~

The Arrowood family immigrated from England to Maryland in the 1700's. They went south, eventually settling in the mountains of North Carolina. Later , some went further south, into the Piedmont of North Carolina, in search of work and a better way of life.

I am in search of my family.

I search for those that came before me, and lived their lives as best they could. I am in search of their stories, how they lived, and how they loved.

I shared this love of seeking the past with my Dad, sharing each new finding with him, the thrill in his heart intermingling with mine. I continue this search in his honor, and hope to know these people of ours when I join up with them all in heaven.

~ Steve Lewis Arrowood 1932-2008 ~

Come with me, back to a simpler time and place. A place far removed from the hectic pace of today. To a time when life was hard, but the rewards were great. When your quality of life was determined by your own sweat, your own toil, and your own ingenuity.

Would you like a glass of sweet tea? Let's sit out on the porch where we will catch the sweetly scented breeze of summertime. Maybe Grandma will fry up some of her wonderful chicken... Time slows here.

Arrowood Family

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Thomas Arrowood, the brother of Samuel Augustus Arrowood. The third child born to John and Frances "Fanny" Barrett Arrowood, he was about 12 years older than Samuel.

Thomas Arrowood was born in Burnsville, Yancey County, North Carolina October 29, 1820. He came with his family to Altoona in the year 1881 where he lived until 1897 when he moved with his family to Des Moines where he resided until death called him to his home above Feb. 1, 1900 at the age of 79 years 3 months and 3 days.

He served his country faithfully during the Civil War. When the war was ended he received an honorable discharge and was given a pension for injuries which he had received in the war. Mr. Arrowood leaves a wife and several children to mourn the loss of a loving, devoted husband and father, also two brothers and two sisters who keenly feel the loss of a kind brother. The remains were brought here last Saturday and were immediately taken in charge by his late comrades in the G.A.R. Post of which he was a member.

He was taken to the Christian Church and after due ceremony from the Post the Stars and Stripes were spread upon the casket which held the form that had so boldly marched forth and fought in the Civil War. Rev. Hastie then took charge and completed the funeral services.

Mr. Arrowood was well known in this vicinity and leave many friends who mourn the loss of an honored citizen, as was expressed by the long procession which slowly wended its way to the City of the dead, to place one more of our respected veterans beside the many who have gone before. In a few years history alone will record the suffering of our old veterans who are leaving us one by one.

Addition Informantion:

Thomas Arrowood, son of John Arrowood and Frances (Fanny) Barrett. He married twice, first to Clarissa Parnell in North Carolina. After her death he married Louisa Stinnett on June 19, 1866 in Greene Co, TN.

Thomas was inducted into the military (Civil War) in Strawberry Plaines, Jefferson County, Tennessee, June 30, 1864. He was released from active duty in Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee, November 30, 1864. Thomas applied for a military pension in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa, July 9, 1890. The pension application states "that he is wholly unable to earn a support by reason of lung disease, chronic diarrhea, old age and general debility. That said disabilities are not due to his viscious habits and are to the best of his knowledge and belief permanent."

ARROWOOD - Funeral services for Mrs. Louisa Arrowood, 81,years old, who died yesterday morning at her home, 2518 Lyon Street, will be at held Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 at the residence. Interment will be in the Altoona cemetry.
p.18, c.1

NOTE: DEATH DATE ON TOMBSTONE IS MARCH 22, 1924, BUT HER DEATH CERTIFICATE AND NEWSPAPER ARTICLES SAY THE DEATH DATE WAS MARCH 23, 1924.

At the time of her death, she had 29 living grandchildren, 15 dead grandchildren, 83 great-grandchildren, 5 dead great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great grandchildren, and 1 dead great-great grandchild.

Burial:
Boone Cemetery
Blount County
Tennessee, USA

The following was published in the Maryville Times (Blount Co. TN) Thursday, October 20, 1932:

Mrs. Whitehead is 93 years of age and is the only survivor of a family of 14 children. Her father also raised seven of his brother's children. His brother died and left the children homeless, so the burden fell to him, making his family total 21 children. Mr. John Arrowood raised the 21 children to maturity and never had the attention of a doctor except with one of his grown sons who had typhoid fever.

Mrs. Whitehead is in very good health and talks freely. She very often talks of Civil War days and says young folks don't know what hardships are.

Her grandfather fought in the Revolutionary War and was in the Army when George Washington led his forces to victory. Her father, John Arrowood, of Rock Creek, North Carolina, fought in the Jackson Army in 1812 and helped drive the Indians from the southern swamps.

Her husband, James Whitehead, volunteered in the Union Army when the Civil War broke out, leaving her with two small children. She also had four brothers who volunteered in the Union Army. Their names were James, George Washington, William and Wesley Arrowood. Washington and James returned, but Wesley and William died and are buried in the Soldier's Cemetery in Knoxville.

Her son-in-law, W.M. Boone, volunteered and fought in the Spanish-American War. She also had four grandsons in the World War. Their names are Roy and Roscoe Whitehead of Jade, Oklahoma; Horace Boone of McKeldry, Tenn., and Leonard F. Marine of Rasor, Tenn. They all returned except Leonard, who died at sea. Mrs. Whitehead will be at the Marine home on Morganton Road several days. All relatives and friends of Mrs. Whitehead are cordially invited to pay her a visit. She recognizes almost everyone she ever knew.

Mrs. Whitehead now is proud to say that she lives to see her fifth generation. She is the mother of six children. She has 30 grandchildren, 70 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren. She says nothing would do her more good than see all her generations together at one time, but she hasn't much hope that she ever will, for they are scattered from Tennessee to Oklahoma. She does hope to live to finish 100 years. She likes to call the little folks around her and sing to them or tell them stories. Piecing quilts is still a great pastime for her."

The following was published in the Maryville Times (Blount Co. TN) Thursday, April 25, 1935:

"Mrs. Fannie Arwood Whitehead was born January 29, 1840, and departed this life March 28, 1935, being 95 years, 1 month and 29 days old. She was united in marriage to James Whitehead on January 29, 1860. To this union were born six children, two sons and four daughters. They are Thomas Whitehead of Oklahoma, Mrs. Belle Marine and Mrs. G.G. Hearon of Rasor now living. She has 29 grandchildren still living and 15 dead, 83 great-grandchildren living and five dead, and five great-great-grandchildren living and one dead. Her husband departed this life 63 years ago and left her and her children to make their way in life as best they could in the trying days just after the Civil War. By hard labor and toil, she kept the wolf from the door and reared her children in honor. Aunt Fannie as she was known was born in Buncombe County, North Carolina, and came in young womanhood to Happy Valley in the 3rd District of Blount County where she spent the remainder of her life.

Aunt Fannie professed faith in Christ at the tender age of 12 years and first united with the Treeville Baptist Church. Not content to remain with them, about 60 years ago, she united with the Missionary Baptist Church in which she remained until her death. She was faithful to her church, her home and her neighborhood and country. She loved her church more than most of us. She gave her last dollar one time to lift the debt off the church at the dedication. She was loved by young and old wherever she was known. She was always in her place at church as long as she was able to attend, always ready to lend a helping hand in every time of distress and need. She lived long enough to learn what trouble was, but was always looking to the future Home where trouble would be over. She was a widow of a Federal soldier and was faithful to the memory of him, living in widowhood for more than three score years, one of those that the Bible speaks of as a widow indeed. She will be missed you know, but we bow to His will who does all things well. Our great loss is Heaven's gain. Her funeral was conducted at the Happy Valley Church of which she was a member for more than 60 years. The service was conducted by the present pastor, Rev. Robert Porter, and the Rev. William Brown, a former pastor, with three other former pastors present. Her mortal remains were laid to rest beside her husband in one of the Valley cemeteries to await the Resurrection Morn." ---Written by a friend and former pastor.

The 1860 Yancey County, North Carolina Census:
Samuel was living beside his sister Fannie Arrowood Whitehead.
Down toward the bottom, line 31 through 35.
Samuel and Sarah had our little Welzia,the first baby.

***********************************
Fannie struggled to prove her claim to a Civil War Pension as widow of James Whitehead, this struggle was well documented.

"National Archives have the handwritten records of her deposition by Federal authorities prior to her being approved for the pension, to which she was entitled. It is a long account and involves the sworn testimony of several people, attesting to her identity, and to the fhe fact that her children, belonged to James, that she had not remarried, etc. It is an interesting and somewhat revealing document."

The land on which Boone Cemetery is located is adjacent to the property that was owned by Fannie Arrowood Whitehead. The Correll family owned the adjacent property.
The land for the Boone Cemetery was donated by Fannie Arrowood Whitehead.

Descendants of Fannie remember her in a wheelchair in later years. She knitted and quilted, making quilts for each of her grandchildren.

The following is a story that was told by one of Fannie's descendants:

**My father, Cecil, grandson of James, once told me a story that his father, Solomon, told him. Seems that one day a salesman came by the Whitehead homestead. Fannie was weeding the flowerbed inside a small picket fence where the salesman stopped. At the time, James was doing some leather work nearby. Evidently the fellow had been a confederate soldier as he started giving James a hard time about him being wounded in the war. Grandma Fannie took offense to this and hopped over the small picket fence and took a "swipe" at the man, cutting off some of his beard with her knife. The man ran off and she resumed her weeding without a word being said.**

This is Fanny Arrowood Whitehead and her daughter Mary Belle Whitehead Marine (born 1868)in the dark dress, and her children.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Steve Lewis had a son, on July 12, 1956, after one daughter, and three more daughters yet to come; he had a son in the midst of those four girls. A sweet little boy with blonde hair and innocent eyes. He learned to ride his bike and Steve bought him a three speed bike. Boy, was he “grown-up” and powerful, on that bike. He rode like the wind and struck off on that first ride, going way too far from the house. Much too far for Steve’s liking and he was worried sick over him until he safely returned, a bit winded, but unharmed.

The years drifted past and Lewis grew into a quiet, thoughtful young fellow. He was a great older brother. He was always outnumbered in a house full of girls, but he never seemed to mind. The ‘never’ being able to get into the bathroom, because of curlers and girls primping and doing what all girls do, for hours, had to be a bummer.

My memories of him are all good, they make me smile. He was kind and considerate of me. I was a nuisance more often than not, I am sure, especially when his buddies came over and there I was, this ‘tom-boy’ girl wanting to tag along.Not especially cool for a teen age boy.

I remember calling out to him , for a special ‘Tucking In‘. He would tuck the covers all around me and kiss the tip of my nose with a “goodnight”. He made me smile, made me feel special. A special big brother.

I remember one episode in detail. Dad had given me a plastic horn. Not an ordinary horn, but a special “Dr. Seuss” sort of horn.

You could swivel the segments into any shape you wanted. Each different shape giving the horn a new, distinctive, wonderful sounding ‘toot’. It was a contraption to say the least, but it gave me hours of fun. Lewis liked the horn too. He was showing it to his buddy, Robbie, and I made a scene to have my horn back. Not the common garden variety scene, but a "hopping-up-and-down-little-brat-sister-scene". Oh, I remember it well..(shaking my head in dismay). Lewis relented, and he tossed the horn in my direction, pretty disgusted at my display, he did it off-handedly, without looking. Well, the horn made contact with my forehead. At just the right place, right on the hairline. It hit me with enough force to cause it to bleed.. A gusher ensued . It went all over my face in a matter of milliseconds and had to be an awful sight to see. Lewis went faint and dropped to his knees.

After Dad was called and the blood flow was stopped, Dad set about to discipline Lewis for it all.I was crying and Lewis was crying and eventually Dad saw that Lewis had been punished enough.

He had to sit with his head down between his knees for quite some time after the incident.I saw the intense pain, that my pain caused, in my brother and I knew the bond between us , was strong.

When I was about ten years old my brother just “disappeared”. He is still among the missing.

Gone without a trace.

He was eighteen, young, good looking and high spirited, always working on his car and always trying to save money for a better one. He liked to spend time with his friends and buddies from the neighborhood.

A typical young person in the 70’s.

He met and became involved with an ‘older’ married lady. She was evidently on the run from her ex-husband and was quite a long way from home. She was in her thirties and I put the blame on her.

Lewis must have been an easy target and one with a little money, too.

He left home and went to Texas with this woman. She had several small children from her marriage. He returned some time later, alone, and very scared. I think that he thought her “Ex” was following him and he most likely was.

Lewis’s car was found, left unattended, near some apartments where our sister was living at the time. His belongings were in the car, keys in the ignition, but no Lewis. One small drop of blood was found on the car seat, leaving the police to wonder.

Police were left with precious little to go on.

They searched. They interviewed. They questioned the ex-husband, but nothing was proven.

Nothing was found. No proof of wrong doing, so there was nothing they could do.

I remember the sleepless nights in our household.

The phone ringing in the middle of the night, horribly cruel prank calls.

My Dad was tormented by Lewis being gone. He suffered tremendously, this being his only son. He went and searched the empty fields, the out of the way places, anywhere he could think of. Any place a crank caller suggested. It was hell for him.

Our whole family, somehow, held together in spite of it all.

The worst part is the lack of "knowing".

There can be no closure when a loved one is missing.

There is no burial, no place to “remember” the person.

Only the questions remain and linger.

He is simply "gone", and not where he is supposed to be…

He should be living across town, we should be able to visit with him and his family. Call him up for a chat.We should be able to attend ball games together and have a summer picnic. We should be able to share the joy of his first grandchild.

But there will be none of that, none of what should have been.

He is gone without a trace. The imprint left on our hearts will remain forever.

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The Arrowood/Arwood Family

Thanks so very much for all of the wonderful feedback I have gotten from everyone! If you are related or somehow have a tie to this family, please leave a comment for me. I welcome any additional info and absolutely love collecting pictures! If you have anything about this family you would like posted, I will gladly do so. Please, leave me a note! This has been, and continues to be, such a blessing to me.